


Stories of the Second Self: Under the Sun

by John_Steiner



Series: Alter Idem [171]
Category: Urban Fantasy - Fandom, lockdown - Fandom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-16
Updated: 2020-02-16
Packaged: 2021-02-28 06:47:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 697
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22759507
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/John_Steiner/pseuds/John_Steiner
Summary: In the height of the post-Alter Idem federal occupation the Fogelman family gets a call from Jenna's sister Genene. While everyone else is overjoyed at Genene's homecoming Jenna remains suspicious, because of a letter that Jenna hid notifying of Genene's death in Columbus, Ohio after federal and National Guard troops assaulted the city.
Series: Alter Idem [171]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1618813





	Stories of the Second Self: Under the Sun

"When we heard about Columbus we feared the worse," Jenna's mother said when Genene came in through the front door.

Everyone in the family hugged Genene after she'd stepped out of the unusually hot summer sun but dressed as though she'd come in from the winter's cold.

"Jenna," Genene called out to her and approached her offering to embrace.

Jenna's mother excused herself to see how dad's cooking was coming along. The whole get together was planned after Genene called their parents to let them know she got out of Columbus, Ohio and was safe despite all the violence that erupted there.

"Can I talk to you elsewhere?" Jenna asked, still unmoved by her sister's safe return.

"Can't we talk here?" Genene queried innocently.

"They'll be upset." Jenna remained deadpanned.

"Okay," Genene lightly shrugged.

Jenna led Genene to her room and waited for Genene to step inside before closing the door. Next, she went to her bookshelf and took out a bible. Never a serious reader of the bible, Jenna kept it in plain view both to keep her parents off her back and because it was the one place sacred enough that her parents wouldn't rifle through it for anything hidden. Jenna learned that little trick in junior high, and three years later bore that in mind when a letter came in from some government agency.

Pulling the bible out, Jenna let slip an envelop from within the rear cover. She opened it in front of Genene, then she removed the letter and read it aloud, "To the Fogelman family, I regret to inform you of the death of Genene Fogelman. She was found by the Ohio National Guard and Columbus first responders and her identity verified by the National Crime Information Center, as required by Ohio law...."

"Okay, stop," Genene's voice turned instantly hard.

"So, lets have it," Jenna demanded, as she took to sitting on the edge of her bed with the letter and envelop in her lap.

"Why did you hide that?" Genene pointed accusatory at the letter.

"You didn't let me finish," Jenna answered, and looked the letter over. "They seemed to think you were involved in some cult group that was trying to kill people in Columbus."

"It's not a cult," Genene insisted, but looked away.

"So why do they think you're dead?" Jenna wanted to know.

"Because I am," Genene replied, and reached up to her eyes with her index fingertip. "I've had to wear contacts and fake teeth to get by."

When the contacts came out Jenna saw only soulless obsidian across her older sister's eyes; no whites of sclera, no iris, and nothing to border pupils. The removal of fake teeth startled Jaclyn even more.

"What are you?" Jenna sounded fearful.

"I guess a vampire," Genene said, shaking her head, "Burn in the sunlight, needing blood, but no long fangs I suppose. Just a bunch of short shark teeth. It's not like the movies where you can smell blood or hear heartbeats, but body heat stands out like everyone's on fire. Everyone except us."

"Is it true that you killed people?" Jenna still struggled to calm down.

"Not intentionally," Genene answered, and then stopped herself short, "Well, except for the actual cult that came after us. Most of the people I fed off of survived and, unless they died in the army raid of the city, would be just fine as far as I know. No one ever turned when bitten. I don't even know why I turned. My apartment building got blown up, and I awoke in some makeshift mortuary tent. I didn't know how long I was out, until I later heard that this thing happening to other people left them dead for three days."

"What are you going to do now?" Jenna realized that, yes, this was still her sister, and arguably no colder and callus than before.

"I don't know," Genene looked off, "Hide. These nature-loving cultists and some bunch of Jesus freaks were all out to get us."

"Do you need help?" Jenna offered, "Money, maybe. I have a job."

"I need donors," Genene specified, "You know, for blood? A lot of donors."


End file.
